URBAN AREA STUDY: BURGAS, BULGARIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01009A002300070006-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 14, 1999
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 1, 1959
• Content Type: IR

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v~G~R~E~F
URBAN AREA STUDY: BURGAS, BULGARIA
CIA/RR GR 59-7
April ] 959
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
 WARNING
This, material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
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CSI Ei'TIAL
URBAN AREA STUDY: BURGAS, BULGARIA
CIA/RR GR 59-7
April 1959
Office of Research and Reports
C 49ENTIAL
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CONTENTS
Page
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II . Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
III. Orientation Within the City . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
IV. Transportation, Telecommunications, and Public Utilities 5
A. Transportation Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
B. Telecommunication Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . 6
C. Public Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
V. Administration and Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
A. Local Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
B. Security Control Organizations . . . . . . . . . . 8
C. Specially Controlled Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
D. Required Contact With Local Officials . . . . . . 9
VI. Military Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
VII. Sociological Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
A. Ethnic Composition and Background . . . . . . . . 12
B. Food and Clothing Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
C. Health and Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
D. Cultural and Recreational Facilities . . . . . . . 14
VIII. Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Appendixes
A. Gaps in Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
B. Source References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
CONFIDENTIAL
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CGIfFIDENIK,
Photograph
Page
The harbor and waterfront of Burgas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Map
Following page
Burgas (25761.1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
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CMIDEMAL
URBAN AREA STUDY: BURGAS, BULGARIA
I. Introduction
Burgas, located at the head of the largest embayment on the
Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, is the fifth largest city of Bulgaria, an
important regional administrative center, and one of the two leading
seaports. Well-situated with respect to major land transportation
lines and the main producing centers for export commodities, Burgas
handles the bulk of Bulgarian exports by sea. It ranks second to
the port of Varna, however, in the amount of import cargo handled,
chiefly because that city is nearer to the USSR, the largest single
supplier of Bulgarian imports. Burgas is the principal Bulgarian
fish market and handles almost all of the Bulgarian Black Sea catch.
Although not a major industrial city, several industrial enterprises,
including the largest flour mill in Bulgaria, are located in Burgas.
An electric-cable plant and a railroad-car construction plant were
built in Burgas as part of the first two 5-year plans of Socialist
construction in Bulgaria. Currently, considerable attention is being
given to the development of Burgas as a Black Sea resort for workers
from the various People's Democracies. Contemporary Burgas is a
rapidly growing city. Its population of 72,795 (as of December 1956)
is double that of 1931+ and is nearly twenty-five times greater than
that of the fishing village that was old Burgas at the end of the
19th century.
CONfl&NTIAL
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II. Site
The city is situated at the head of Burgas Bay on a narrow neck
of land flanked by two shallow coastal lakes or lagoons -- Lakes
Atanasovo and Burgas. Barrier beaches separate the lagoons from the
bay and form land bridges connecting the Burgas "neck" with adjacent
coastal areas to the north and south. The greater part of the city
stands on relatively high ground (50 to 150 feet in elevation)
overlooking the bay. On the west, however, industrial sections have
developed on the low-lying land adjacent to Lake Burgas and along
the sandy barrier beach stretching to the southwest. An artificial
harbor and related port facilities have been constructed along the
waterfront on the south side of the city (see photo below).
The harbor and waterfront of Burgas as seen across the southern breakwater.
The clock tower of the main railroad station is at the extreme left; the
port administration building, with four small corner towers, at left center.
The buildings between the cranes at the far right are warehouses. In the
right center background, the towers of St. Kiril i Metodi Cathedral are
clearly visible.
Lining the east shore are bathing beaches backed by low bluffs
on which marine gardens and recreational facilities have been laid
out. The city is roughly rectangular in shape and spreads over an
area of approximately 2 square miles, but its built-up area is
expanding northward toward Lake Atanasovo. The land surface is
generally level, with no particularly steep gradients except in
sections of the city immediately adjacent to Burgas Bay. The surface
is underlain by nearly horizontal beds of unconsolidated or weakly
consolidated sands and gravels.
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III. Orientation Within the City
Since the livelihood of Burgas is oriented largely around its
port activities, the principal government and commercial offices are
in the old section of town near the harbor. Most are located along
the main north-south street, "l May"'Street (formerly Alexandrovska
Street), between the main railroad station and Georgi Dimitrov Square.
This densely built-up area extends some 4 or 5 blocks to both the
east and west of "l May" Street and constitutes the core of the old
city. From this core, the residential sections of the city fan
outward with the newer sections lying to the north. About midway
between Georgi Dimitrov Square and the railroad station, "l May"
Street is intersected by Stalin Boulevard and "9 September" Street,
which together constitute the main east-west artery. Stalin Boulevard
(formerly Bogoridi) extends eastward connecting the business section
with the Sea Gardens overlooking the bay. This boulevard is described
in a recent magazine as e "liveliest street in town, es-Dec
ial in
e afternoon and in nal. 1 * ' 9 September" Street leads CPYRGHT
westward to the railroad
ard
a
d th
S
d
y
s
n
e
an
s Quarter (Kumluk or
Pyasitsite Kvartal).
The Sands Quarter is the southwest industrial section, which
spreads out along the shore of Lake Burgas and along the barrier
beach between Lake Burgas and the bay. A narrow canal about 1 meter
deep cuts through the barrier beach permitting small motorboats to
pass between the bay and the state fishery on Lake Burgas. 2/ A
stadium, oil storage tanks, and a slaughter house are located in
the part of the Sands Quarter east of the canal. West of the canal
are the Burgas prison and various factories, including the Georgi
Dimitrov Metal Working Plant (formerly Veriga), the Gocho Ivanov
Cooperage Factory, and the Stalin Cotton Textile Plant. The railroad
yards encircle the town on the west and south from the northwest
industrial section to the port area. Railroad spurs branch off from
the main yard and serve the plants in the Sands Quarter.
The northwest industrial section is the site of a variety of
plants, including the Red Flag Railroad Car Plant, the Vasil Kolarov
Electric Cable Enterprise, the Spartak Machine Construction Plant,
a large state flour mill, and several components of the Marshal
Tolbukhin State Industrial Combine.
Port facilities occupy most of the waterfront area along the
south side of town. These facilities include quays, warehouses,
administration buildings, railroad spurs, a fish exchange, the
Slavyanka Fish Canning Factory, a small ship-repair yard, and a
small naval base. Much of the port area is fenced and designated
as a restricted zone.
*Numerical citations refer to sources listed in Appendix B.
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Most of the buildings in Burgas are of stuccoed-brick construction
with tile roofs. Those in the residential sections are mainly 1- and
2-story structures, whereas the government and commercial buildings
are often 3 to 5 stories high. The exteriors of buildings are commonly
painted in pastel colors with yellows predominating.
Although information on the street numbering system is unconfirmed,
north-south streets are apparently numbered from the waterfront north-
ward. The east-west streets located south of the traffic circle* in
the geographic center of Burgas are numbered eastward and westward
from "l May" Street, and those located north of the circle are numbered
eastward and westward from P. R. Slaveykov Street. The new section
east of Tolbukhin Boulevard is an exception to the general rule. Here
east-west streets are numbered from Tolbukhin Boulevard eastward and
have an "A" appended to the numerical designation. 3/
This may be named Vozrazhidane Circle but the name has not been
confirmed.
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IV. Transportation, Telecommunications, and Public Utilities
A. Transportation Facilities
Burgas is an important transportation node for southeastern
Bulgaria, being accessible by railroad, road, air, and sea. As an
important seaport, Burgas is quite naturally both a terminus and
originating point for a considerable amount of railroad freight and
passenger traffic. It is linked directly with Sofia and other
important centers in southern Bulgaria via the Sofia-Levskigrad-Burgas
and Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas trunk lines. North-south lines leading to
the Danubian ports which handle transshipment traffic, and other
north Bulgarian centers are accessible through junction points at
Polyanovgrad and Dubovo on the Sofia-Levskigrad-Burgas line. Locally,
a short railroad line extends northeastward from Burgas to the
neighboring coastal town of Pomorie; and a branch toward the north
serves the coal mines at Rudnik. The main railroad station is located
adjacent to the port area at the intersection of "l May" Street and
Ivan Vazov Boulevard. The Vladimir Pavlov Station (the old railroad
station) is located at the western edge of town (map item 57).
Roads converge on Burgas from the north, south, and west. A main
east-west highway from Sofia terminates at Burgas, and the north-south
coastal highway passes through the city. A network of second- and
third-class roads connects Burgas with the surrounding towns and
villages in Burgas Okrug*. The main roads are generally well drained,
at least 20 feet wide, and hard surfaced. The surfacing may be
asphalt, concrete, cobblestone, or gravel. The second- and third-class
roads are usually well drained, narrow (10-13 feet), and surfaced
with gravel and sand. Interurban bus lines apparently offer regular
service between Burgas and Varna and between Burgas and many of the
villages within Burgas Okrug. No current information on routes,
operating schedules, and type of equipment is available.
Burgas does not have an extensive municipal transit system;
but a few buses provide service from the center of town to the
industrial sections and the suburbs. A bus stand is located on
"l May" Street opposite the main railroad station. Many streets
within the city are paved. Although those in the newer sections
are mostly wide and macadamized, some in the older or southeastern
section are narrow, with irregular cobblestone paving. Most streets
accommodate two-way traffic, but automobile traffic within the city
is very light.
The okrug is the first-order administrative-economic territorial
division in Bulgaria.
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Burgas has daily air service, except Sunday, with Sofia, Plovdiv,
Gorna Oryakhovitsa, and Varna. )+/ The airfield is located approxi-
mately 4-l/2 miles northeast of the city and is used by both civilian
and military aircraft. Its facilities, however, are very limited.
The runways have a natural surface and the longest measures only
3,600 feet.
Small passenger vessels ply between Burgas harbor and nearby
coastal villages. Service to Pomorie, Nesebur and Sozopol is daily
and to Akhtopol and intermediate coastal points, triweekly. During
the summer only (15 June - 30 September) trips are made to Varna on
a daily-except-Sunday schedule. A Western observer who recently
took the trip from Burgas to Nesebur reports that the vessel was
grossly overcrowded and the journey most uncomfortable. 5/
B. Telecommunication Facilities
Burgas has telephone and telegraph connections with all major
towns in Bulgaria. The services are operated by the PTTR (Ministry
of Posts, Telephone, Telegraph, and Radio). The telephone and
telegraph centers are housed in the PTTR Building (map item 26)
which is located near the main railroad station. Burgas has an
automatic telephone exchange and a telegraph center equipped with
teleprinter service. 6/ The number of requests for the installation
of telephones in individual homes apparently exceeds the capacity
of the facilities available in Burgas, as is the case in other
Bulgarian cities. Since few, if any, public phone booths are
scattered about the city, it is assumed that nonsubscribers place
their calls at the telephone center.
Burgas has no domestic radio broadcasting station of its own,
but a radio relay line connects Burgas with Sofia. 3/ Relatively
few people have their own radio sets, but wired-radio speakers
equipped only with "on" and "off" controls are installed in individual
homes by the government to provide approved news and music. This is
part of the national wired-radio network serviced locally through a
program distribution center, which gets its program material from
PTTR circuits, local studio sources, or off-the-air pick-up. 8/
The Directorates of Air Transportation, Ports, and Railroads
apparently operate their own point-to-point radio facilities in
Burgas, whereas the PTTR operates the domestic and coastal radio
communication facilities in the area. 91
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C. Public Utilities
The principal source of electric power for Burgas is the Vasil
Kolarov Thermal Electric Power Plant at Rudnik, approximately 8 miles
north of the city. The plant operates on brown coal from the Rudnik
mines and supplies 3-phase, 50-cycle alternating current at 220/380
volts to Burgas and vicinity. 10/ In addition, Burgas was recently
tied in with the national 110-kilovolt system through the construction
of a high-tension line between Dimitrovgrad and Burgas. ll/
Burgas receives its water supply from 3 sources: thermal springs
about 9 miles northwest of the city, a well approximately 10 miles
north of the city, and 2 recently discovered underground rivers
located some 3 miles west of the thermal springs. The water from
all 3 sources is piped to a reservoir 3 miles north of the city,
where it is mixed and cooled and then piped through gravity mains
to Burgas. 12, 13/ With the addition of the third source of supply
the acute water shortage, which plagued the city for years, has
reportedly been removed, and the water supply is now sufficient at
all seasons. Burgas is equipped with underground gravity sewers
which transport the city's raw sewage to the Black Sea. 14/
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V. Administration and Security
A. Local Administration
The administrative organization of Bulgaria is undergoing a
radical revision on the basis of decisions made at the plenum of
the Bulgarian Communist Party's Central Committee on 17 January
1959. Thirty new administrative-economic territorial divisions or
okrugs are being established in place of the old okrugs and okoliyas
(first- and second-order administrative divisions, respectively).
The new okrugs will represent a "unification of the entire political,
state, economic, and cultural life in a given territory." 15/ The
old obshtinas (third-order administrative divisions) are to be
retained with certain modifications as the basic local administrative
unit. 16/
Since the city of Burgas was the seat of the old obshtina, okoliya,
and okra of the same name, presumably it will be the seat of the
current obshtina and new okrug. Within the framework of central
government directives the Burgas Okrug People's Council will have
broad responsibilities for the governing and the economic management
of its territory including responsibility for the management and
control of all production-economic units (industrial enterprises,
collective farms, state farms, etc.) and the preparation of the
economic plan of the okrug. The Municipal People's Council will
handle the local administrative services dealing with the development
of education, culture, health protection, state retail trade, and
communal services. l j/ is likely that the Okrug People's Council
will be housed in the building on Tsar Petur Street formerly occupied
by the old Okrug People's Council (map item 13). The Municipal
People's Council will probably have its offices in the old Urban
People's Council Building (map item 33).
The local committees of the Bulgarian Communist Party will
probably continue their close check on the activities of the People's
Councils. The headquarters of the various Party committees for Burgas
Okrug are at No. 22, "1 May" Street (map item 30).
B. Security Control Organizations
In Bulgaria the police system is organized into three main
branches: (1) the People's Militia or ordinary civil police; (2)
the State Security Agency, which includes the civilian-attired secret
police and the uniformed interior troops; and (3) the Frontier Troops.
All are under the control of the Ministry of Interior although certain
elements of the People's Militia, such as the traffic police, are
nominally under the control of the local people's councils.
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Units of all three branches of the police system are represented
in Burgas. According to reports the State Security units were moved
into a single headquarters building in 1957, but the precise location
of the headquarters within the city has not been confirmed. 18, 19/
As of 1956 the headquarters for the Burgas Okrug administration of
the Ministry of the Interior was located at No. 73 "1 May" Street
(map item 1-2); the Okoliya Administration was located at No. 9 Debelt
Street (map item 24+); and the City Administration was located at
No. 11 Kn. Rayna Street (possibly map item 37). 20/
The headquarters of an unidentified Frontier Troops Unit (probably
the 8th Frontier Guard Otryad) is located on the west side of Georgi
Dimitrov Square. 21/ Frontier troops and Customs Militia are used in
the port area for purposes such as checking documents and inspecting
merchant ships and fishing boats for contraband. 22 23/ The Customs
Office (map item 4) is located in the port area at the western end
of the north quay.
The Burgas Prison (map item 23) is located in the Sands District.
C. Specially Controlled Areas
Most of the port section of Burgas and all of the military
installations in the vicinity are considered restricted areas. The
restricted parts of the port are fenced, and only properly documented
persons are permitted to enter. It is assumed that the military
barracks complexes are also fenced and are guarded.
D. Required Contact With Local Officials
All Bulgarian citizens are required to carry identification
booklets. If an individual wants to travel outside his local area,
he must obtain permission from the People's Militia. Data regarding
his destination, time of departure, mode and route of travel, reason
for trip, and date of return are entered in his identity booklet;
and the seal of the militia station is affixed. Upon arrival at his
destination or at an intermediate overnight stop, the individual must
report to and register at the nearest militia station. In addition,
the traveler's host or hotel manager is responsible for completing
a standard police travel form indicating that the traveler is tempo-
rarily residing at his home or hotel. 24/
Foreign visitors in Bulgaria are required to report to a militia
station in the specific locality being visited so that they may register
and procure a temporary residence permit. All movements outside the
confines of the stated locality are restricted unless a special permit
is first obtained from the militia. At the end of his temporary
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residence the individual must again report to the militia station;
and, on leaving the country, he must procure an exit visa from
Militia Headquarters in Sofia. 25/
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VI. Military Organization
The following military units are believed to be located in the
Burgas area: Headquarters of the 3rd "Chernomorska" Rifle Division
and various components, Headquarters of the 2nd Coast Artillery
Regiment, an unidentified antiaircraft artillery regiment and the
Administrative Office (Recruiting and Mobilization Center) for the
Military District of Burgas (map item 12). 26/ Several barracks
areas are located in Burgas and vicinity, but the specific units
quartered in each have not been fully identified. The principal
barracks complex, on the eastern edge of Burgas immediately north
of the Sea Gardens, houses some components of the 3rd Rifle Division.
On several occasions, reports have indicated that this complex will
be razed to make way for an extension of the Sea Gardens. Other
components of the 3rd Division are stationed in the northern outskirts
of Burgas along the Burgas-Aytos road. The Coast Artillery Headquarters
is located on Chernomorska Street just north of the port area (map
item 9). Units of the antiaircraft artillery regiment may be billeted
southwest of town on the Burgas-Grudovo road.
Burgas is headquarters for the Burgas Naval District and is the
site of one of the four naval bases in Bulgaria. The naval base,
however, is small with a complement of ships consisting of only a
few landing craft, torpedo boats, small submarine chasers, and
minesweepers. 27/ The naval base is located within the restricted
zone on the western side of the harbor.
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VII. Sociological Factors
A. Ethnic Composition and Background
Statistical data are not available on the present ethnic compo-
sition of the population of Burgas. Ethnic Bulgarians comprise the
vast majority of the population; but small Armenian, Turkish, Jewish,
and Greek minorities still reside within the city. The 193+ census
enumeration indicated that, on the basis of language spoken, these
groups constituted approximately 5, 4, 1.5 and 1 percent of the
population, respectively. Since sizeable numbers of these minority
peoples have emigrated during the post-World War II period, the
relative proportion of each has probably declined since 193+ in
terms of the total population.
B. Food and Clothing Customs
Western-style attire has been adopted by the majority of the
urban Bulgarian population, and distinctive traditional. costumes
are worn only on festive occasions, if at all. Because of the high
cost of clothing in terms of the purchasing power of the average
Bulgarian, the garments worn are commonly of cheap manufacture and
are likely to be threadbare from long use.
The Bulgarian diet contains a large number of foods of eastern
origin, such as kebabs, pilau (rice stewed with mutton or pork), and
dolmas (various leaves, such as cabbage, stuffed with ground meat).
The national dish is givech, which consists of chopped mutton, eggs,
and vegetables. Maize porridge, wheat bread, cabbage soup, potatoes,
cheese, and yogurt are other items common to the diet.
Burgas has several restaurants. Balkanturist (State Enterprise
for Travel and Turism) operates two restaurants -- No. 1 located in
the Balkanturist Hotel at No. 16 "1 May" Street, and No. 2 located
on Stalin Boulevard. Other restaurants include the "Garata" Restaurant
at the main railroad station; the "Moskva" Restaurant at the Seaside
Casino; the "1 May" Restaurant on "1 May" Street;* the "Varshava"
Restaurant at No. 68 "1 May" Street; and the "Svoboda" Restaurant at
No. 1 "Svoboda" Square. The "Moskva" Restaurant and the Balkanturist
Restaurant No. 1 are apparently the most popular restaurants in Burgas.
This restaurant is listed twice in the 1956 Burgas Telephone
Directory. The address is given as No. 54 "1 May" Street in the first
entry and No. 64 "1 May" Street in the second.
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Dining facilities are probably available at the various hotels in
Burgas, including the "Balkan" Hotel at No. 3 Georgi Dimitrov Square;
the "Bulgaria" Hotel at No. 3 Tsar Krum Street; the "Odessa" Hotel
at No. 12 "1 May" Street; the "Czechoslovakia" Hotel at No. 2 "1 May"
Street; and the "9 September" Hotel at No. 75 "9 September" Street.
In addition, several confectionery shops* and taverns or beer houses
are scattered throughout the city. The "Inter Club" located in the
"Inflot" Building (Shipping Agency of the State Travel Enterprise)
at No. 1 "1 May" Street is operated primarily for the benefit of
sailors from foreign ships visiting Burgas.
C. Health and Sanitation
Medical facilities in Burgas include the Okrug Hospital, City
Hospital, Transportation Workers' Hospital, Military Hospital, and
several polyclinics or dispensaries. The Burgas Okrug Hospital,
located on General Gurko Street in the eastern part of town, is
reportedly a first-class installation with approximately 250 beds
(map item 51). A branch of this hospital housing surgical and
maternity sections is located nearby on "Kiril i Metodi" Street.
The City Hospital consists of several small hospitals and clinics
scattered about the city -- a children's section, internal diseases
section and laboratories located at No. 28 Tsar Krum Street (map
item 15); a surgical section at No. 7 Tsar Petur Street; a gynecology
section at No. 6 Tsar Krum Street; a lying-in hospital at No. 32
Aprilov Street; and a section for ambulatory patients in the Pobeda
Quarter. The Transportation Workers' Hospital, which is small and
relatively new, is located near the main railroad station. No details
are available concerning the Military Hospital located at the northern
edge of town (map item 54).
A health resort is located approximately 10 miles northwest of
Burgas at Banya, where hot mineral springs are found.
In the past malaria was endemic in and around Burgas; however,
antimalarial measures have reduced the danger to the point that
malaria is no longer considered a serious problem.
As in other Bulgarian port cities, venereal diseases were prev-
alent in Burgas prior to World War II. No data are available concerning
the present incidence of these diseases.
*Confectionery shops generally serve pastries, ice cream, and
nonalcoholic beverages on the premises.
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D. Cultural and Recreational Facilities
The Sea Gardens along the bluffs at the eastern edge of town
and the bathing beaches beneath them constitute Burgas' greatest
recreational attraction. In 1956-57, a summer theater was reportedly
under construction in a new park area immediately to the north of
the Sea Gardens. Presumably it has been completed. The main theater
in Burgas, People's Theater "Adriana Budevska," is located on Tsar
Asen Street adjoining the Court House (map item 25). Other cultural
attractions are a puppet theater, three movie houses, a museum, a
library, and an art gallery. Soccer is the principal spectator sport
in the area, and there are two soccer fields in Burgas -- one (map
item 19) on the western edge of town adjacent to the Sands Quarter
and the other on the northern outskirts of town near the cemetery.
The only local newspaper published in Burgas is the Chernomorski
Front, a Communist Party organ. Educational facilities available
include the general public schools, a teachers' institute, a school
of mining, and other technical schools.
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VIII. Climate
Burgas has a modified continental type of climate. Because of
the moderating influence of the Black Sea the winter and autumn seasons
are warmer, and spring and summer seasons cooler, than at inland points
of comparable latitude. The mean daily minimum and maximum temper-
atures for January, the coldest month, are 29?F and 42?F, respectively.
Temperatures seldom remain at or below freezing throughout the day on
more than 7 days per year. Mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures
for August, the warmest month, are 84?F and 62?F, respectively. Since
the relative humidity is high -- averaging 68 to 87 percent --
throughout the year, the winter cold is likely to be more penetrating
and the summer heat more oppressive than the temperature readings
would lead one to expect. Water bodies in the vicinity of Burgas
freeze only during occasional severe winters. Snowfall may be
expected during the period from November through March and occurs
on an average of 15 days a year, but the snow does not normally
remain on the ground for more than 1 day after a storm. The total
annual precipitation is low, averaging 22.24 inches, and has a
fairly uniform distribution throughout the year. Precipitation is
heaviest in June (3.22 inches), with a secondary peak in November-
December. In August, the driest month, the mean rainfall amounts to
1.2 inches. Throughout the year, surface winds at Burgas may be
characterized as light breezes. Particularly in summer, an alternation
of land and sea breezes prevails. A northwesterly land breeze normally
rises about midnight and, veering through northeast to southeast,
continues until dawn. At dawn a southeasterly sea breeze develops
and, veering through southwest to northwest, prevails during the day.
Calm sets in about sunset. High winds or gales are infrequent even
in winter. Fog may settle in on 3 to 5 days a month during the
winter season.
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GAPS IN INTELLIGENCE
The lack of precise locational data constitutes a serious gap
in intelligence on the city of Burgas. Dozens of street name changes
have been made in Burgas during the post-World War II period; but
neither comprehensive lists giving the old and new names nor town
plans showing the present street names are available. Therefore,
even though street addresses for many installations are listed in
the 1956 Burgas Telephone Directory, many of these installations
cannot be plotted on a map with any assurance of accuracy. Even
when streets can be identified, lack of information concerning the
street numbering system may preclude determining the actual block
in which a given address falls; additional reference data -- such
as building descriptions, sketch maps, or location in terms of known
landmarks -- are usually necessary for pinpointing specific installa-
tions on a map.
Numerous reports have been received concerning the port facilities
of Burgas, but few deal with the city proper. Gaps in intelligence
are particularly sizable on subjects such as population characteristics,
intra-city transportation and communication facilities, the extent
and adequacy of public utilities, and the specific identification
and location of security and military units in the Burgas area.
Available ground photos are poor in quality and cover little
other than the waterfront and bathing beaches.
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SOURCE REFERENCES
Sources utilized for this study include (1) various interrogation
reports of persons who have visited the city or port area since World
War II; (2) articles by Bulgarian and Russian geographers in recent
geographic publications that present a general description of the
city; (3) the National Intelligence Survey (NIS); (4) the Signal
Corps Intelligence Study on Bulgaria for telecommunications data;
(5) the 1958 official Bulgarian timetable for railroad, air, and
water transportation, and the 1956 Burgas telephone directory;
(6) various port and town plans (both pre-World War II and post-World
War II), as well as memory sketch maps prepared by persons visiting
Burgas in recent years, and (7) aerial photographs that were taken
in 1943-44.
The following list of references does not include all the items
used as background material. It does, however, include the chief
sources of specific information used throughout the report. Evalu-
ations following classification entries are those appearing on the
cited documents and have the following significance:
Source of Information
Information
A
- Completely reliable
1
- Confirmed by other sources
B
- Usually reliable
2
- Probably true
C
- Fairly reliable
3
- Possibly true
D
- Not usually reliable
4
- Doubtful
E
- Not reliable
5
- Probably false
F
- Cannot be judged
6
- Cannot be judged
1. Dimitrov, K. "Burgas," Bulgaria Today, [date unknown], p. 15, U.
2. Navy, 25 Feb 58, Bulgaria: Port of Burgas,
info prior Apr 57, CIA 5041977, S.
3. CIA. CS, 24 Mar 54, C/US ONLY.
4. Bulgaria, Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Ofitsialen
Putevoditel (Official Timetable), 1 Jun 58, pp. 314-15, U.?
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6. SCIA. Signal Technical Intelligence Study: Bulgaria, Jul 54,
p. 37, C.
Systems, info 4 Sep 58, CIA 2096158, U.
8. SCIA. op. cit., p. 12 (6, above)
9. Ibid., pp. 67-68.
10. CIA. NIS 22-23, Rumania and Bulgaria, sec 25, "Urban Areas,"
Apr 52, p. 8, C.
11. CIA. NIS 23, Bulgaria, sec 62, "Fuels and Power," Mar 57,
p. 13, S.
12. CIA. CS, 26 Feb 54, C/US ONLY.
13. CIA. op. cit., (10, above)
14. Ibid., p. 8.
15. FBIS. "T. Zhivkov Theses on Reorganization," Daily Report,
27 Jan 59, p. KK9, U.
16. FBIS. "Decree on New Administrative Division," Daily Report,
28 Jan 59, p. KK14, U.
17. FBIS. op. cit., p. KK9-11. (15, above)
18. CIA. CS, 19 Feb 58, C/NOFORN/CONT CONTROL. Eval F-3
19. CIA. CS, 23 Dec 57, C/NOFORN/CONT CONTROL. Eval 3.
20. Bulgaria, Ministry of Post, Telegraph, and Telephone. Telefonni
Abonati Burgas, (Telephone Directory), 1956, U.
21. Army, 2 Aug 57, Outline Interrogation Report
info Jun 57,
25X1C CIA 2055353, S. Eval D-3.
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25. CIA. CS, 30 Sep 57, C/NOFORN/CONT CONTROL. Eval F-3.
26. Army. USOB Summary, 1 Jun 58, S.
27. Navy, ONI. "The Bulgarian Navy," The ONI Review, v. 13, no. 2,
Feb 58, p. 75, S.
22. Army, 21 Oct 57, Detailed Interrogation of
B/32, info to Apr 57, CIA 20 3338, C.
Eval F-3.
25X1A 23. Army, G2 USASETAF. - 12 Mar 58, Interior and Border
Troops, info Feb 58, CIA 2078767, C. Eval C F-3.
25X1A 211.. Army, G2 USASETAF. 26 Jun 58, Identity Documents
and Travel Restrictions, info 1953-Apr 58, CIA 2084 371, C.
Eval F-3.
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Oil Storage
KEY TO IDENTIFIED PLACES
CHURCHES HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS
10.
Commercial school
4.
15.
Hospital
5.
28.
Polyclinic
13.
29.
Orthodox church
14.
35.
Technical high school
25.
36.
Public school
26.
39.
Hospital
30.
40.
Cathedral of St. Kiril i Matodi (Orthodox)
32.
41.
Teachers ' instituts
33.
43.
PUblIC school
34.
48.
Public school (girls)
44.
50.
Pobik school
47.
51.
OkrBg Hospital
52.
Orthodox church
53.
Public school
7.
54.
Military hospital and old people's home
9.
11.
12.
INDUSTRIAL
16.
1
Fuel pumping station
23.
.
&
Fishing-boat anchorage and fiahmarket
24.
17
GaolIne station
31.
.
20
Refrigeration depot
37.
.
21
Slaughterhouse
38.
.
22
Southasst industrial ara (including Gsorgi
42.
.
Dirnilrov Mstsl Working Plant, Gocho Ivanov
45.
55.
Cooperage Factory and Stalin Cotton Textile
Plant)
Northwest industrial area (Including the Vasll
Kotrov Electric Cable Enterprise. Spartak
2.
Machine Construction Plant, State Flour MIB,
6.
and componsnts of the Marshal Tolbukhin
8.
Stab Industrial Combine)
18.
56.
"Chsrvono Zname" railway np.B shop
19.
57.
Old railroad station
27.
46.
49.
GOVERNMENT
Customs office
Port sdminLstvatiofl building
Okrug People's Council Building
National bank
Courthouse
Post, telephone and telegraph office
Local Communist Party committees
National bank
Urban Peoples Council Building
Old city hail
Fire station
Soviet consulate
SECURITY
Naval barracks .
Headquarters coast artillery
Naval headquarters
Headquarters military district of Burgas
Unidentified military headquarters
Burgas prison
Militia station
Officers' club
Militia station
Infantry barracks
Militia station
Headquarters of unidentified FrontierTmops unit
OTHER
Harbor lights
Dock workers living quarters
Casino
Overpass
Stadium
"Khrista Smlrnenski" movie theater
Monumentto Bulgarian partisans
Monument to Russian soldiers
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B uRCASxo
EZERO
RECLAIMED AREA
NwjTYY
STFZfiGTE#J
10 Identified place
(see key below)
- Railroad
Park
sand
1. Street names shoran in italic type are
pre-1939 names which have not been
cnninned by late sources.
2. BASE: Burgas 1:6,000118 4{4 (S9a) 1950.
100
100
200 300
Yards
DO - 3[
400 500
I- r
400 500
Meters
SECRET
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